Combined napkin and destructible folding basket



Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PAENT OFFICE COMBINED NAPKIN AND DESTRUCTIBLE FOLDING BASKET Marie J. Morse,

South River, N. J.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combined napkin or handkerchief and favor basket, and its leading object is to provide a napkin or handkerchief with a series of folds whereby it can be set up to provide a favor basket for holding small articles, and then taken down and washed to give additional service as a napkin or handkerchief.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet with a series of folds and interfitting folded parts, whereby it can be collapsed in fiat condition for storage or shipment, and opened up by the user to provide an attractive favor basket, and again completely spread out to give additional service, the whole sheet being constructed without any mutilation or injury, and adapted to be constructed of a napkin, handkerchief, scarf or fine silk fabric.

A still further object of the invention is to shape a napkin or other serviceable fiat sheet, after being starched or otherwise stiffened, so that it can be opened up from a normally collapsed condition, to provide an ornamental favor basket.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, showing the favor basket opened up.

Fig. 2 is a side View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sheet before being folded.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the sheet partly folded.

Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the sheet folded to the second phase of its development.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the opposite side, showing one wing extended or opened up to illustrate the adhesive surfaces.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating the detail construction of the improved article, 5 designates a flexible sheet of fabric, which may be cotton, linen, or silk, natural or artificial. This sheet is provided with the parallel creases 6 and l, and the parallel'creases 8 and 9, disposed at right angles thereto. The creases 6 and I cross the end portions of the creases 8 and 9 and thus provide at the corners of the sheet, which is approximately square, minor square portions H), II, l2 and IS.

A diagonal crease l4 extends from the center of one side to the center of another side; a second diagonal crease 15 extends from the center of this second named side to the center of another side at right angles thereto, and from the center of this last named side the third diagonal crease l6 extends toward the third side of the sheet, and from this third side a fourth diagonal crease ll extends to the center of the first side. The diagonal creases intersect the two groups of parallel creases at the point where these parallel creases intersect with each other.

In each corner square diagonal creases l8 and 10 I9 extend across each other, the diagonal crease l8 also extending toward the corner of the central portion of the sheet, which is formed with four creases 20, 2!, 22 and 23, which define a square area around the center of the sheet. The central portion of each side of the sheet is also formed with a. crease 24, which is parallel to the side edge thereof, and with short creases 25 and 26, disposed at approximately right angles to this crease and extending toward the edge of the sheet. 20

In forming the sheet into the favor basket, the corner portions of the sheet are folded flat against the side of the sheet, along the diagonal lines I4, I 5, l6 and I1, thus bringing the tri angular corner portions or tips into approximately meeting contact at the center of the sheet. These triangular corner portions are then folded backward, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the tips thereof will lie adjacent to the folds formed along the crease lines It, l5, l6 and I1.

The sheet is then reversed, and the corner portions of the now smaller square shaped sheet are foldedagainst the side of the sheet along the parallel lines 6, l, 8, and 9, so as to bring the original mid-corner portions of the sheet toward 5 the center of the sheet as folded.

The confronting double triangular portions 21,

28, 29 and 30 are then folded along the short parallel lines 24, outwardly, so that the tips thereof will lie adjacent to the outer edges of the completely folded article. In this condition thearticle may be stored and shipped. a

This collapsed article is set up into a favor basket condition by manually squeezing the tri- 45 angular portions 3!, 32, 33 and 34 into open formation. The effect of this will be to dispose the portions which bound the central squared zone into outwardly and upwardly inclined relation to the zone at the center which now forms the 50 base or bottom of the basket. To hold the parts in this basket relation the areas on each side of the article may be starched or provided with a suitable adhesive, easily washed out, so that the 2 shape of the basket will be maintained when it is opened up.

In its open position the basket may be used as a receptacle for small objects, like candy, and small gifts, for bridge tables or banquets, and after being so used may be washed and then given service as a handkerchief, napkin, scarf, or other similar utility.

If desired a handle may be connected at its ends, by stitching or the like, to the sides of the basket, in this case the stitching would be of the chain type, so that it could be readily removed.

It is understood that the article may be constructed of paper, cardboard, leather, cloth, or any other suitable material.

I claim as new:-

A combined napkin and destructible folding basket consisting of a fiat fabric sheet formed with a pair of fold lines extending across the sheet in one direction and in spaced relation to each other, said sheet being rectangular and being also formed with a pair of fold lines extending at right angles to the first fold lines and from one side of the sheet to the other side of the sheet, said sheet being further formed with a diagonal fold line extending from each corner of the sheet to the opposite corner and crossing each other at the center of the sheet, said sheet being further formed with fold lines extending from each side midway of the corners thereof in a diagonal direction to the adjacent sides, each side being further formed with a fold line conmeeting the adjacent diagonal fold lines and spaced from the center of each side and still fur ther formed with fold lines disposed at right angles thereto, the sheet being foldable so that triangular upstanding corner portions are provided within which objects can be held, the fold sheet also providing base feet located midway of the upstanding holding portions to support said fold sheet in basket formation.

MARIE J. MORSE. 

